1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a windshield molding for a motor vehicle to seal the space between a windshield and a periphery of a window opening of a vehicle body panel, and a method of producing such windshield molding.
2. Description of the Related Art
Usually a windshield molding is attached around an edge of a windshield to seal the space between a window opening of a vehicle body panel and the windshield. Such windshield molding comprises an exterior wing for covering a space, on the exterior side of the vehicle, between the window opening periphery of the vehicle body panel and the peripheral edge of the windshield, and a connecting portion extending from an interior side of the exterior wing through the space between the window opening periphery of the vehicle body panel and the edge of the windshield.
With this type windshield molding, water drain channels are formed on the molding as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publications Nos. 291721/1988 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,757,659 and 4,757,660), 8019/1988, 8020/1988, 8021/1988, 212121/1988, 195032/1989 (corresponding to U.S. 4,865,796), 204713/1989 and 204714/1989.
With Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 291721/1988 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,757,659 and 4,757,660) and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 244,820/1989, a molding has a top and a leg extending downwardly from the top. The leg has a plurality of arms extending in the direction associated with a windshield, and terminates in a foot. At an upper molding part, the molding receives an upper edge of the windshield in a space between the underside of the top and a first arm. At each side molding part, each side edge of the windshield is received in a space between a second arm and the foot. At the side molding part, the space between the underside of the top and the first arm serves as a water drain channel. At the upper molding part, the portion of the leg which is not used for receiving the windshield is cut off.
Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 128411/1989 discloses an extruded joint to be used for connecting an upper molding part and a side molding part.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications 8019/1988, 8020/1988 and 8021/1988, a strip of a molding extruded in a predetermined shape has a groove along a side of a top decorative portion. The groove is formed by elastic deformation or heated compression molding process. This groove serves as a water drain channel.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 212121/1988 discloses a molded piece inserted under an arm of a connecting portion of the molding to raise an arm and to define a space, which is used as a water drain channel.
With Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 195032/1989 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,796), a whole molding is extruded in a predetermined uniform shape. A portion serving as a water drain channel is cut from the molding where the water drain channel is not necessary. Modified and improved examples of the molding of this citation are proposed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications 204173 and 204174 of 1989.
However, the following inconveniences are experienced with the foregoing prior art moldings.
With Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 291721/1988 (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,757,659 and 4,757,660), it is necessary to adjust the posture of the molding on its one side confronting the vehicle body panel and its other side confronting the windshield before the molding is installed in a window opening of the vehicle. This means there is still a space between the molding and the vehicle body panel, which will increase a windage resistance and adversely affect fuel efficiency of the vehicle. Further the extruded molding is cut at portions which are not necessary after the molding is produced, which is disadvantageous in view of production efficiency of the molding. The corner part of the molding is difficult to shape and to install, since an arm supporting the windshield thereon is switched to another arm at the corner part.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications 8019 to 8021 of 1988, the groove on the top of the molding is not deep enough to serve as a water drain channel efficiently.
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open publication 195032/1989 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,796), sharp edges of a top decorative portion have to be rounded in a separate step. Further the cut portion has polish different from the polish of the remaining decorative portion, which adversely affects external appearance of the top portion. Since depth of the groove cannot be changed as desired, the capacity of the groove as a water drain channel is very limited. Further, the molding is installed in the window opening of the vehicle body panel in a deformed manner, the molding easily comes out due to its internal stress. This problem is also experienced with the molding disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication 204713/1989 and 204714/1989.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an extruded windshield molding including water drain channels formed by changing the shape of the molding and to assure a good decorative appearance.
According to this invention, there is provided an automobile windshield molding comprises a pair of extruded side molding parts, a pair of extruded corner molding parts and an extruded upper molding part integral with and extending between the side and corner molding parts. Each of the side, corner and upper molding parts includes: an exterior wing adapted to cover a space, on the exterior side of the vehicle, between the window-opening periphery of the vehicle body panel and each of side, corner and upper edges of the windshield, the exterior wing including an inward wing portion for covering the peripheral edge of the windshield and an outward wing portion for covering the periphery of the vehicle body panel, the majority of the inward wing portion associated with each the side edge of the windshield being large in height to be spaced from the side peripheral surface of the windshield, such side inward wing portion having a first water drain channel which extends in and along such large-height part and opens inwardly of the window opening; and a connecting portion extending from an interior side of each the exterior wing through the space between the window-opening periphery of the vehicle body panel and each the edge of the windshield and terminating in a foot on the interior side of the vehicle body panel and a lip on the exterior side of the vehicle body panel.
There is proposed a method for producing a strip of an automobile windshield molding by using a molding device including dies. The method comprises: extruding molding material through a hollow portion defined by the dies; adjusting the shape of the hollow portion by moving the dies according to the shape of a molding to be made; and widening part of the hollow portion of the dies to increase height of an inward wing portion associated with a side edge of the windshield to form a water drain channel in and along the inward wing portion.
According to this invention, the inward wing portion associated with the side edge of the windshield smoothly rises to form an eves and wall, which define a sufficient space for a water drain channel. A strip of molding can be easily produced by extrusion process, and no cutting process is necessary to form the water drain channel. Thus the molding has an excellent external appearance and is very safe.